A small round fiber hat with a pair of Mother-of-Pearl drop earrings attached. This hat is worn by bachelor's and sits on the back of the head over a bun and ties under the chin. Married men wear a hat with no decoration.

Both the bride and the groom wear a crescent-shaped breastplate for an Indonesian wedding. The breastplates are sometimes worn in multiples - one hanging down from the other with up to 5 in a vertical row.

Arab wives from Southern Iran to Yemen wear aromatic clove necklaces. The pleasing scent is considered attractive, having the same effect as perfume. Cloves, being expensive, symbolize wealth and an abundance of food for the future.

In India it is customary to give brides British coins that are then made into necklaces and worn at the wedding. These coins, strung on red cotton twine, range from 1919 to 1941 with most of them from 1935 and 1941. One side has a stylized...

A "Muze" is a large crescent-shaped chest pendant worn in Somalia by the Harar Tribe as a valuable wedding dowry. Traditionally a muze is worn with amber and silver. For more information see p. 282 of "Africa Adorned" by Angela Fisher.

Only a Maasai married woman may wear these beaded ear flaps. Tribal custom states that her husband must never see her without them. They are made of glass seed beads on leather and are 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.

Fulani married women wear gold earrings with a distinctive twist. The earrings are called "Kwottenai Kanye". The larger the earrings the more wealthy the bride. This pair has a 2 inch diameter. Several very large pairs (at least 6 inch diameter)...

This bag, decorated with silver, is worn for special ceremonies. H'mong people consider attire to be a weapon of seduction and silver is a sign of wealth. The embroidery shows the skill of the woman who made the costume and uses the bag. H'mong...

The Maasai marriage is simple. The bride's head is shaved and anointed with lamb fat. Then bands of beautiful beadwork are placed on her head. The headdress is handed down from generation to generation and is worn only for the wedding ceremony. ...

In Afghanistan each generation adds a strand to the "Wedding" Necklace as it is passed down in the family. It is also called an "Heirloom" or "Generation" necklace. It is uniquely strung with a netted technique using black and coral-colored glass...

An Ndebele married woman wears a five-paneled beaded goatskin apron called a "Jocolo" on important ceremonial occasions. It is prepared for the woman by her husband and is worn plain for several months before being replaced by a beaded one. Each...

A detail of three of the beaded panels on a "Jocolo" apron worn by a married woman. These are approximately size 8 glass seed beads. The beads are attached in groups, not individually sewn down. There may be 15 beads in a group. This method of...

The Khomissar pendant is the gift of a mother to her daughter. The white shell is a fertility symbol worn by brides. Each diamond shape represents a stylized "Hand of Fatima" to protect against evil. The Bella and Tuareg people in Niger and Mali...

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can be read in many different ways. The design...

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can be read in many different ways. The design...

Color coded messages (or love letters) are found in Zulu tab necklaces. Girls send messages that are prized by the young men who receive them. The message is often an invitation to courtship, but can be read in many different ways. The design...

QuickView

Display a larger image and more item information when the pointer pauses over a thumbnail